Measles Crisis? SA Records 3,462 Cases As Vaccination Rates Tumble

• South Africa has confirmed thousands of measles cases since January 2026, with multiple provinces reporting active outbreaks
• The Department of Health warned that unvaccinated infants have tripled in proportion since 2017, with coverage dropping well below WHO targets
• Health officials launched a national catch-up vaccination campaign as concerns grow over polio, diphtheria and whooping cough

SOUTH AFRICA — More than 3,400 laboratory-confirmed measles cases have been recorded across South Africa since the start of 2026, with the Department of Health issuing an urgent public warning on Wednesday as childhood vaccination rates continue to fall across the country.

Western Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape are among the provinces reporting active outbreaks. Children aged between one and 14 account for 70.9% of confirmed cases.

Vaccination rates drop across all 52 districts

Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the share of infants under one year old who received no vaccinations at all had more than tripled over the past decade, rising from 12.1% in 2017 to 36.3% between January and April 2026.

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First-dose vaccination coverage among children under one fell from 87% in 2021 to 67% in 2025, while coverage for the Hexavalent — a six-in-one infant vaccine — dropped from 87% to 60.5% over the same period. The decline has been recorded across all 52 health districts, leaving South Africa well short of the World Health Organization's 90% childhood immunisation coverage target.

Mohale urged parents and caregivers whose children had missed vaccinations to visit their nearest healthcare facility as soon as possible for routine or catch-up immunisation.

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Other vaccine-preventable diseases resurface

Beyond measles, the department flagged a broader resurgence of vaccine-preventable illnesses. Although South Africa has maintained its polio-free status since 2014, imported polio virus strains have been detected in wastewater samples collected in Cape Town.

Sporadic diphtheria cases have been reported, particularly in the Western Cape, and whooping cough — medically known as pertussis — has been identified in several provinces. Infants under six months are considered especially vulnerable, as they are too young to have completed their immunisation schedule.

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Nearly 400 rubella cases have also been recorded, predominantly among children aged one to 14. The department noted that rubella carries a particular risk for pregnant women due to its potential to cause congenital rubella syndrome in unborn children.

National catch-up campaign under way

The department said it was coordinating a national response that includes targeted catch-up vaccination campaigns for children who have missed doses. Officials confirmed that adequate vaccine supplies and cold-chain infrastructure are in place across the country.

Western Cape immunisation rate drops

Briefly News reported that infant immunisation coverage in the Western Cape has dropped to 67.4%, far below the 90% target health officials say is needed Health officials warn thousands of babies remain vulnerable to measles, polio and whooping cough as vaccine hesitancy grows ealth officials about the safety of thousands of children across the province. The figure covers children under one year during the 2024/25 period and reflects a slight decline from the 67.6% recorded in 2023/24.

Source: Briefly News